Lunch at Maxine's
by apAidan
Summary: Hermione and her mother Helen are having lunch one Sunday afternoon when Helen asks a most peculiar question.  Just how long has Hermione been in love with her best friend?
1. Getting to the Heart of the Matter

Lunch at Maxine's

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><p>AN and Disclaimer – This is a work of fiction, specifically fanfiction. Any characters, locations, or concepts that you recognize from the Harry Potter universe are the property of JK Rowling and various corporate interests and no copyright infringement is intended. Original characters in this work are probably mine. One or two might have shown up on their own accord, and I'll take responsibility for them just to be polite. No servers were injured in the writing of this fanfiction, and all of the characters left an appropriate gratuity. Any holidays or celebrations mentioned in this work are fully in the public domain.

Maxine's is a wizarding restaurant that has no counterpart in the real world (as far as I know). It is in London near the old Roman Wall at the Bishop's Gate. It was built upon the ruins of the wizarding tavern _The Old Dun Snorkack_, which had been built by a pair of wizards prior to the construction of the wall in 190 AD. _The Old Dun Snorkack_ was destroyed by Death Eaters in the summer of 1997. The staff and customers took refuge in the cellars while the Death Eaters burned the tavern down, an event that was memorialized in song.

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><p>Chapter One – Getting to the Heart of the Matter<p>

_Sunday 12 May 2002 1205pm gmt Maxine's in London_

"Exactly how long have you been in love with Harry?"

Smiling smugly, Helen Granger watched her daughter as she sat in her chair, wine glass halfway to her lips. Hermione's eyes had gone wide and she was doing a credible impersonation of an animal trapped in the headlights on the motorway.

Seeing that her daughter had started to answer before her conscious mind had realized exactly what it was her mother had asked her, Helen nodded encouragingly. The typical Sunday afternoon sounds of their favorite London wizarding restaurant swirled around them, while Hermione was atypically silent.

Shaking her head once, Hermione sat back in her seat and carefully returned the wine glass, untouched, to the table.

"Mother, don't be ridiculous. You of all people know that Harry and I are best mates, nothing more." Looking around to see if anyone was paying attention to the exchange, she glared at her mother.

Laughing, Helen took a sip of wine and then gestured at her daughter with the glass.

"Bollocks, young lady. This is Harry we're talking about. Not Ron or that young man who works with you at the Ministry who fancies you. Harry Potter, the wizard whom you're living with. Remember him?"

"For the thousandth time, Harry and I aren't 'living together'. We simply share a home. A very large home." Taking a rather large sip of her own glass, Hermione smiled.

"You've been to Grimmauld Place, you could hold your Dental Association's Spring Dinner there and have room left over."

"You share a home where the staff defers to you as if you were the Queen Mother. Doesn't Kreacher refer to you as 'Mistress of the Hall'?" Nodding agreeably, Helen smiled wickedly.

"Honestly Mother, Kreacher is pretty much the staff, and he's simply a traditionalist. To his mind, a proper wizarding household is configured a certain way. Harry is obviously the Master of the House to him since he's the Head of House for both the Potters and the Blacks. Since I'm living there also, by default I'm Mistress of the House. It really doesn't mean anything. Once he stopped pining away for Walburga, I was the next available witch, I suppose."

"So when Harry's former fiancé was living there with you two, she was Mistress Ginny, correct?" Smiling knowingly, Helen took a sip of her wine and watched as her daughter began to fidget in her seat.

"Erm, well no. To Kreacher, she was always 'Miss Ginny'. But Kreacher never really warmed to her, for some reason."

"Of course. A house elf, raised and living for decades in a very traditional environment of rabid pureblood supremacists takes a shine to a muggle-born witch who's merely the best friend of his Master over the pureblood fiancé. I imagine it happens every day."

"Where in the name of Magic is that waitress." Not seeing the offending server anywhere, Hermione turned back to her mother.

"Exactly what prompted you to ask that ridiculous question? Have you and Daddy been subscribing to _The __Daily Prophet_ behind my back?"

"You know we've subscribed to _The __Quibbler_ since we got back from Australia. I wouldn't take _The __Sunday Prophet_ just to have something to line Flaubert's countertop with, although Luna says she wouldn't mind." Smiling again, she sat back and took another sip.

"How are Luna and Ron doing? Has the poor boy figured out that he's actually quite taken with her yet?"

"Mother, it took him four years to figure out that I was a girl, he's only been spending time with her for a few months now." Chuckling, Hermione shook her head fondly.

"Personally, I think he's pretty much a goner as far as she's concerned, but he'll muddle through in his own time. Luna's content that he's the one for her, she says that he's simply building up his nargle tolerance slowly so that they'll eventually be at the same level and then he'll realize it."

"I suppose that's as good an explanation as any. You're all right with your ex-fiancé moving on so soon? The two of you were supposed to be getting married back in January, you know."

Hermione nodded absentmindedly as she looked down at the menu and tapped a couple of times upon the crystal vase in the center of the table as she noticed their server approaching the table. After the pair of them had ordered, and refilled their wine glasses, Hermione sat back and sighed.

"It's odd, but I'm really fine with those two. I think Ron subconsciously started that ridiculous row on Christmas Eve just to bring about the conversation that we really shouldn't get married."

"Hermione, it wasn't really that ridiculous. He was very annoyed that his bride-to-be was reluctant to be at his family's home on Christmas Eve. Regardless of the provocation."

"Mother, Molly was sitting there being very snarky to Harry for well over an hour. It wasn't until Ginny showed up an hour late, slightly pissed, on the arm of Dennis Creevey for Merlin's sake, that she finally stopped. The woman really needs to see a good therapist when it comes to some of the issues she has.

"I don't think it was out of line for me to tell her that if she was that uncomfortable with having Harry at the Burrow, we could move the entire affair to Grimmauld Place and everything would be fine." Taking another sip of her wine, she closed her eyes.

"Except for us, they're the only real family Harry has."

"Harry's always welcome in our home dear, you know that. Molly was just a bit unhappy about Harry and Ginny ending their engagement last summer." Opening her eyes, Hermione glared at her mother.

"Harry didn't end the engagement. Ginny called the whole thing off at her birthday party. I still can't believe he let her get away with that drabble. 'I'm not going to spend the next hundred years as some sort of runner up behind what's really important to you'." Shaking her head, she sighed.

"She knew he was an auror when he proposed. I love the girl dearly, but Harry really should have said something more after they came out of her room."

"He's never spoken of it, even to you?" Looking curious, Helen smiled.

Shaking her head, Hermione waited until their server placed the bread on the table and retreated.

"All he would say was that there were some things that needed to remain between the two of them for a while. He's promised me that he'd tell me the entire thing, someday."

"That certainly was some display." Smiling smugly, Helen took another sip.

"The first thing anyone knew something was wrong was when the window exploded out of her room and Ginny was screaming like a fish-wife 'I'm not going to spend the next hundred years as some sort of runner up behind **who's** really important to you!'" Putting a subtle emphasis on 'who's' Helen waited for her daughter's reaction.

Staring at her mother, Hermione seemed poised to say something, but visibly decided not to. Smiling, Helen took another sip of her wine and continued.

"Of course, they were ever so civilized when they came out. Laughing and smiling. It was a nice touch for Ginny to ask you to look after Harry after she announced that she was calling off the engagement and the wedding."

Throwing up her hands in exasperation, Hermione stared at her mother in disbelief.

"Honestly Mother, it was the least she could do. She'd just devastated the poor boy, cavalierly announcing less than three weeks before their wedding that she'd decided that this wasn't where the two of them needed to be. Someone had to look after him after a blow like that."

"Harry didn't look devastated. I was there and he looked more relieved than anything else. I imagine that was a very tense forty-five minutes while the two of them were locked in her old bedroom, but once they came out, Harry seemed very content with what was going on.

"You were the one who was going mental during the entire thing. I honestly thought you were going to blast that door down, trying to get in there to protect him."

Shrugging, Hermione absentmindedly tapped on the crystal vase with her fork for several seconds, listening to the chiming sound it made.

"It was very unnerving, once all the noise stopped. They can both be very high strung once they get going. She never did have a good handle on how to deal with him. I never could understand how she could have known him as long as she did and not known how to deal with Harry."

Smiling to herself, Hermione nodded.

"Goodness knows he's complicated, but it's not as if he's a total cipher."

"That's not really being fair to Ginny, you realize. Just because the two of you have spent the last decade in each other's hip pocket, doesn't mean that she wouldn't have eventually gotten a handle on his quirks and moods."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione abruptly struck the vase once more before answering.

"Honestly, I still wonder exactly what he thought he was doing when he proposed to her. The first time they were together, it was snog, snog, snog, all day long. After the war, she practically stalked the poor boy the three weeks we were back until we left to come find you and Daddy." Taking a deep breath, Hermione blew it out slowly before continuing.

"She was barely civil when we got back. You remember what happened at Heathrow when the five of us arrived at the terminal."

"Between Ron being so excitable during the flight from Sydney that I thought the flight attendant was going to sedate him near the end and Ginny throwing a fit because you'd had Kreacher move Harry and you to Grimmauld Place while you were gone collecting us, it was quite the scene." Helen tried to repress a chuckle at the memory.

Oblivious to the knowing smile on her mother's face, Hermione buttered a scone and placed it on her plate.

"Exactly. Harry and I talked about moving to London after we got back so that it would be easier on the Weasley's, and allow us to keep tabs on you and Daddy after you got back. Give us room to start raising Teddy together, and she acted as if I'd kidnapped the boy and took him at wand point to Gretna Green or Las Vegas."

"It did look a bit suspicious from her vantage point, you have to admit."

"I can't believe you're defending that scene she caused at the terminal." Staring at her mother in disbelief, Hermione smiled thinly as their server arrived with their plates. Shuddering slightly at her mother's selection, Hermione delicately started on her own meal.

Smiling at her daughter's reaction to her salmon with stuffed Portobello mushrooms, she shrugged.

"I can empathize with the young woman. Harry breaks up with her at your Headmaster's funeral, departs during the middle of what you've described as a chaotic moment when those thugs crashed the wedding reception with you and Ron, is gone for nine months without a word with his two best mates, shows up just in time to die and then defeat that monster Tom Riddle," Pausing to collect herself, the tears in her eyes matched those in her daughter's as they thought about that night.

"Then he spends three weeks without saying much of anything to her, goes off again suddenly with the same two best friends, and his and his female friend's things are moved suddenly to a house in London where they're going to be raising a child together. Not both best friends, just the female one. If I were in her shoes, I'd think it was all a bit dodgy."

"It's not as if we were on holiday, the first time. Harry and I barely got away with our lives. We almost were captured that night; we both almost died more times than I care to remember. We spent months on the run, living in a tent with little or nothing to eat."

Shaking visibly, she put the knife down and folded her hands in front of her.

"Afterwards, we went to sixty two funerals and memorials in those three weeks. Harry was spent, it almost killed him. He blamed himself for every death, every house destroyed, and every child who was still missing." Closing her eyes, she blinked back tears.

"Merlin's beard, the nightmares kept him from getting more than an hour of sleep at a stretch. I had to drug the boy to get him to sleep that much." Opening her eyes, tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"It was killing him, the guilt and the fear, and all she could do was whinge and bitch because Harry wasn't spending enough time with her. Since Ron was going to stay at the Burrow to be closer to his family for the rest of the summer, Harry and I both decided that if we moved to London after we were back, it would give both of us the quiet to start getting our lives back in order and the privacy to start rebuilding our relationships with Ron and Ginny."

Reaching across the table, Helen placed her hand on top of her daughter's. "I know all that. Harry looked like a shell when you three found us and restored our memories. I couldn't believe it when you told me you'd made him sleep for two days once you got to Sydney.

"I'm glad your father was able to talk to him, relate to him from his experiences in the service. Your father's time with the Commando gave him some perspective on the things Harry and you saw." Seeing the appreciative look in her daughter's eyes, Helen smiled grimly.

"You father will deny it, but when he heard what you two had gone through, that former Royal Marine had nightmares for two nights at the thought of what you two accomplished, and he was in Cyprus and Indonesia."

"Daddy never talked much about his time in the service, and now I know why." Shaking her head, she smiled back, "So you know how rocky Harry was when we got back off the plane. She shouldn't have rounded on us the moment we cleared customs."

"She didn't round on 'us' she rounded on you. The worst of it was Harry taking your arm and disappearing into thin air while she was still ranting without saying a word to her. If you hadn't sent Ron that message on those coins, the whole thing would have been a complete dog's breakfast."

"I never asked, but did Ron actually read the message I sent or did he just let everyone know we were at Grimmauld Place?" Looking a bit embarrassed, Hermione lowered her eyes.

"All he told his sister was that the two of you were at Grimmauld Place and if she wanted to discuss things, she should come to the house. Though I think Ginny was a bit suspicious, she mercifully let it go. I think she was so shocked that Harry just took you out of there that she decided she might have pushed him a bit too far."

"When we got home, all Harry would say was that no one was allowed to talk to me that way. He went upstairs and had Kreacher freshen up Ginny's room so it would be ready by the time she got there. I was still angry enough that I sent Ron a very shirty message for his sister." Hermione blushed, remembering how incensed Harry had been when they'd disappeared from the airport.

"Ron covered for you just fine." Sipping her wine, Helen sat back and looked thoughtful for a second.

"What's your first clear memory of Harry?"

Gratefully accepting her mother's slight change in topic, Hermione sat back and smiled.

"The day we met. We were on the train and I was prattling on about things, you know how I got when I was nervous. We were talking about spells and magic and such. I noticed that his glasses were broken, those wretched relatives of his had forced him to put them back together with sellotape."

Smiling at the memory, she closed her eyes and began to relax.

"I just took them up without thinking or asking and fixed them for him. Honestly, the look on his face was something that touched me and I'll never forget. He looked as if he'd never seen anyone do anything for him and he couldn't believe it. Our eyes met, and for just those few seconds, it was as if I knew him, the real Harry and he knew me.

"Not 'The Boy Who Lived' and certainly not the bossy bookworm, but the two of us were real people to each other. I got lost in those eyes of his, and I could see how desperately he needed someone. It was as if we both took the other to heart and…."

Hermione fell silent and her eyes flew open, suddenly panic stricken. Sitting bolt upright in her seat, she grabbed her wine glass and drained it with one pull. Picking up the bottle from the table, she refilled her glass, picked it up and drained it again. Sitting back in her chair, she stared at her mother in horror.

"I'm in love with Harry bloody Potter and I have been since I was eleven."


	2. When One's Reality Cheque Bounces

Chapter Two – When One's Reality Cheque Bounces

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><p><em>AN and Disclaimer – This is a work of fiction, specifically fanfiction. Any characters, locations, or concepts that you recognize from the Harry Potter universe are the property of JK Rowling and various corporate interests and no copyright infringement is intended. Original characters in this work are probably mine. One or two might have shown up on their own accord, and I'll take responsibility for them just to be polite. No servers were injured in the writing of this fanfiction, and all of the characters left an appropriate gratuity. Any holidays or celebrations mentioned in this work are fully in the public domain._

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><p>"I'm in love with Harry bloody Potter and I have been since I was eleven."<p>

Totally gobsmacked, Hermione stared vacantly at the table while her mother laughed.

"Honestly Hermione, you look as if you just found out that life as you know it was coming to an end."

Reaching over and grabbing her mother's arm, she tried to shush her.

"Mother," she whispered, "this isn't funny. For over a decade, I've being lying to the world, and quite apparently myself, about my relationship with my best mate. Everything in my life is predicated upon Harry being my best friend and it's all ruined."

Laughing harder, Helen patted Hermione's hand and tried to gain control of herself. Taking a deep breath, she held if for about ten seconds and then released it slowly. Still chuckling, she shook her head.

"Hermione, it's not the end of the world. Your father is my best friend and I couldn't love him any more if I tried." Smiling to reassure her daughter, she took another deep breath.

"All you have to do is pick up some of that Gryffindor courage you're so proud of and tell the poor boy you love him."

Shaking her head from side to side, Hermione looked on the edge of panic. If anything, her mother's suggestion caused her eyes to widen even further.

"Mother, you don't understand. If Harry felt the same way, don't you think he would have said something over the past ten years? If I tell him this, it's going to wreck our friendship, our relationship." Tears forming in her eyes, she looked away.

"I don't think I can survive living without him, and I'm not about to risk that."

Seeing that Hermione was on the verge of bolting, Helen waited until her daughter was a bit more composed before she continued.

"What makes you think Harry was any less in denial about this than you were until a couple of minutes ago?" Smiling at the shocked look on her daughter's face, she shrugged.

"Face it, dear, he's a man and they're all relatively clueless when it comes to things like this."

Looking a bit wary, Hermione bit her lower lip in thought.

"Mother, I can't risk losing him. I'm not certain how I'm supposed to act now that I know I've loved him all this time. It's certainly going to make a couple of aspects of our current situation a bit more difficult."

Seeing the blush on her daughter's cheeks, Helen looked at her appraisingly.

"Exactly what have the two of you been getting up to in that home of yours for the past five months?" Looking up in alarm, Hermione's blush deepened.

"It's nothing like that, Mother." Looking back down, she continued in a quiet voice. "You know about the nightmares, both his and mine." Pausing for a second, Helen could see that her daughter was carefully weighing every word before she spoke.

"Hermione, just tell it. I'm not going to judge you or react. My only concern is for both you and Harry and your happiness." Smiling, she patted her daughter's hand, trying to reassure her.

"When it got bad, we'd spend nights on the chesterfield, holding each other and keeping the dreams away. After Ron left, one night I was tired of that blasted divan in the library, so I told Harry that we were going to get a proper night's sleep if it killed us."

Looking up at her mother, trying to gauge her reaction, she smiled sheepishly

"I transfigured the sitting area in the nursery into a proper bed and we started sleeping in it." Smiling at the knowing look in her mother's eyes, she shook her head.

"Just sleeping. We'd hold each other until we'd fall asleep, and then we'd wake in the morning together." Blushing at the memory, she smiled wistfully.

"I don't think I can give that up. Some mornings, I wake first and I just watch him and listen to his breathing, feel his heart beating. I think about all the things that have happened to him over the years, all the shite he had to put up with from those relatives of his and my heart breaks for him. All I want to do is hold him and keep him safe."

Tears were rolling down her cheeks freely as she stared at her mother.

"How could I have been so blind, Mother? As soon as I say something like that aloud, I realize that I've loved him so deeply for so long. No wonder everyone always thought…" Shaking her head, she took a deep breath.

"What do I do?"

"Silly goose. Just tell him. The boy has stormed the gates of hell for you, come back from the dead for you, and been with you through thick and thin for over ten years." Helen chuckled a bit as she winked.

"He's even braved the wrath of Molly Weasley for you. I'm certain he's just as scared as you are, even more so since everyone he's ever loved has been taken away from him except for you." Looking thoughtful, Helen smiled a bit coyly.

"I'm willing to bet that the mornings you didn't wake first, Harry did the same thing you did. He's laid there, watching you sleep, marveling at how much of a part of his life you are."

Smiling a bit, Hermione tilted her head to one side as she thought.

"How should I tell him? This is very embarrassing that, for my part at least, we've been living a complete lie for years." Color began to return to her cheeks.

"Merlin, what would have happened if we'd actually both married?"

"Just figured that one out, did you? I think both of your redheads sussed out the truth of the matter and retired from the field before it came to that. Ginny said that she wasn't going to be forever second to the one who's important to him.

"And Ron pointed out to you that if Harry was your first priority, then you should really start acting like it." Seeing the look her daughter was giving her, Helen smirked.

"You might have missed that part since the next thing he did was ask you if you wanted to call off the wedding."

Slumping back in her seat, Hermione shook her head.

"Is there anyone who wasn't aware of how we felt about each other?"

"Other than Molly? Apparently not. According to George, the betting pool on when the two of you actually figure out how you feel about each other is up to over twelve thousand galleons." Smiling at the shocked look on Hermione's face, she shrugged.

"I'm not certain which I want to know first. Why George is running a pool on the two of us or how you know about it."

Sitting back in her seat, Helen chuckled at the look on her daughter's face.

"Apparently, the twins started the pool during your second year of school. Ron made the mistake of mentioning to Fred and George that Harry was sneaking down to the infirmary during the night while you were paralyzed to sit with you.

"It started with the Quidditch team, and then spread to the rest of your house. From what George tells me, half of the people you went to school with in all of the houses but Slytherin and almost all of Gryffindor have bet in the pool at least once. People keep picking new dates and rebetting when their bets finally expire."

Nodding at the shocked look on her daughter's face, Helen smirked.

"According to Angelina, some young woman named Romilda has the least flattering bet; she's got a galleon on 1 September, 2017. I really don't think she's a big fan of yours if she thought it would take you nineteen years to finally figure out how you feel about him."

Helen picked at her salad for a couple of seconds, allowing Hermione to process the information.

"One of the goblins at Gringotts is managing the vault where the money is kept." Smiling wickedly, she chuckled at Hermione's look of disbelief.

"There are also some interesting side bets. The only Slytherin bet is that dreadful Parkinson girl's. She's got a standing 50 galleon bet that you'll end up pregnant and try to trap Harry into marrying you that way. Apparently no one's ever taken that bet with her."

Her eyes turning dark for a second, Hermione scowled. "That bloody cow." Looking up at her mother, she sighed.

"That still doesn't tell me how you know about all this."

"You'll be surprised, I suppose, to know that George and Angelina stop by the house every other week or so for dinner." Seeing the suspicious look on her daughter's face, she nodded.

"You father is quite fond of George and I think Angelina's a dear. George usually brings over some ordinary gadget he wants to incorporate into either one of his pranks or one of his magical devices he sells and your father and he go out to the workbench and take it apart until George figures out how to duplicate it."

"Daddy's the 'secret muggle consultant' George has been talking about for the last year or so?"

"Actually, your father's an employee. George has really been quite eager to get us more acquainted with our world, especially those aspects that prefects don't usually mention to their parents."

"Wonderful, George Weasley is corrupting my parents. Is nothing sacred?"

"Apparently not. George and your father both think it's great fun that they've kept this secret from the two of you.

"Although, your father really wasn't too chuffed to hear George's version of some of your adventures with Harry. It seems there's a bit of difference between what you wrote in your letters home and what George remembers happening in a couple of instances." Chuckling at the look on her daughter's face, Helen shook her head.

Her voice becoming serious, Helen leaned towards her daughter and whispered.

"And if we'd have had any suspicions about what Harry's home life was like, we'd have had him pulled out of there very quickly. George says that you didn't know anything until after the fact, and I gave him a long piece of my mind about not reporting those locks and bars to someone." Shaking her head, Helen growled in frustration.

"If you don't do something about that monster of an uncle of his, Hermione Jane, I'll be very disappointed in you."

Nodding grimly, Hermione smiled to reassure her mother. Casting a glance at the busboy that was clearing the next table, she lowered her voice a bit.

"Trust me, mother, that man will get his. I've been researching some very dodgy business dealings that Vernon Dursley has apparently been involved with over the years. Just as soon as his wife finishes divorcing him and enough time has passed so she can't be attached, I'm going to start doing something about it."

Looking puzzled, Helen asked a question with her eyes. Hermione shrugged and answered.

"Harry's forgiven his aunt and his cousin. They came around during that year they were in hiding and they've started trying to make amends with him. His uncle has washed his hands of the entire lot, especially since Dudley's married a witch. Since Harry has forgiven them and is trying to build some sort of relationship with them, I've forgiven them also."

"Hermione that, in and of itself, should have tipped you off on how you really feel about him. When you start forgiving people like that simply because the man in your life has forgiven them, you're so in love that you might as well accept the fact." Smiling indulgently, Helen watched her daughter bite her lip as she nodded.

Sighing, Hermione sat back in her chair and closed her eyes.

"Mother, I still don't have a clue as to how I'm going to tell Harry I love him.

Picking up her wine glass, Helen watched her daughter as she took a sip.

"Just like that, should suffice. I can't see him not understanding if you just come out and say it."

Scowling, Hermione filled her glass and chuckled bitterly.

"This will be bloody marvelous. I can just see it now. This afternoon, I'll get home and he'll ask me, 'How was your day with Helen?'

"I'll smile, kick off these dreadful heels, sit on the couch and as he's massaging my feet, I'll say, 'Just fine. I picked up that box from your vault at Gringotts that you wanted and then I met my mum for lunch at Maxine's.

"We talked, I found out that George has been keeping a betting pool on us since our second year, and oh by the way I realized I've been over the moon in love with you since I was eleven while we were waiting on the dessert cart. How was your afternoon?' Just brilliant."

"I'll give it points for originality. The foot massage is a nice touch. I'd thought him more of the running you a hot bath type."

Looking shocked, Hermione stared at her mother for a couple of seconds.

"Actually, he does that at least once a week when I'm working late." Biting her lower lip, Hermione's eyes narrowed as she observed her mother.

"Just a bit ago, you said something about how Harry 'was' in denial." Subtly emphasizing 'was', Hermione arched an eyebrow as she awaited her mother's response.

Smiling mysteriously, Helen gazed back at her daughter with an innocent look on her face.

"Did I? Are you certain?"

Rolling her eyes, Hermione huffed in disbelief. "Mother, that bit of the conversation was less than half an hour ago, of course I'm certain." Seeing her mother was about to respond, she held up her hand to forestall the excuse.

"And don't give me you were just being careless, who do you think I got my tendency to say precisely what she means from?"

"I wasn't going to excuse anything. I was simply going to suggest that some morning, when you're both awake there in bed, that you turn around and take the wizard by the wand and tell him."

Looking shocked, Hermione turned Weasley red and sputtered for a few seconds.

"Mother, I can't believe you just said that. And the phrase is 'take the bull by the horns'." Stopping herself from going on, she smiled.

"And you're not going to shock me into changing the subject. If Harry's no longer in denial, exactly where is he?"

Smiling smugly, Helen tilted her head to the left a bit and laughed. "Well, if you must know, he's here at the restaurant, waiting to see how this little bit of melodrama turns out."

Giggling like a schoolgirl at the shocked look on Hermione's face, she nodded towards the crystal vase in the center of the table.

"You might as well come out and join us. I think the phrase I'm looking for is, 'We're busted'."


	3. What A Difference A Day Makes

**Chapter Three – What a Difference a Day Makes**

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><p><em>AN and Disclaimer – This is a work of fiction, specifically fanfiction. Any characters, locations, or concepts that you recognize from the Harry Potter universe are the property of JK Rowling and various corporate interests and no copyright infringement is intended. Original characters in this work are probably mine. One or two might have shown up on their own accord, and I'll take responsibility for them just to be polite. No servers were injured in the writing of this fanfiction, and all of the characters left an appropriate gratuity. Any holidays or celebrations mentioned in this work are fully in the public domain._

* * *

><p>Silence reigned supreme at the table for several seconds. Hermione opened her mouth, closed it again, and stared at her mother as if she had never seen the woman before in her life. Finally, her face pale and her eyes wide, she was able to summon up one word.<p>

"Why?"

Looking entirely too pleased with herself, Helen smiled.

"Why? Because we love you and your father and I decided that something needed to give in this eternal stalemate between you and Harry."

Still stunned, and looking at the door to the dining area to watch for Harry's arrival, Hermione managed a weak, "How?" before slumping back in her chair.

The busboy, who had just arrived at the next table turned and proceeded to sit in the empty chair at their table. Before Hermione could even think of protesting, the glamour faded away and she was stunned to see Harry sitting there, dressed in a server's outfit and smiling at her. Mischief flashed in his eyes as he nodded to her.

"The same way she got me, yesterday. Your mother just let me walk the plank until I had nowhere to go but admit that I'd loved you for as long as I could remember. Remember when I had that appointment yesterday for lunch?"

"You said that you had to discuss an investment option with a muggle business owner who was thinking of diversifying into Diagon Alley." Looking shocked, she shook her head.

"I can't believe you would lie to me about something."

"Hermione Jane!"

Interrupted by her mother's outburst, Hermione turned and looked at her.

"I snookered the boy yesterday into having lunch with me. He told you that because it's essentially true and I asked him not to mention that he was meeting with me."

Smiling at the defiant glare her daughter was giving her, she nodded. "One of Healer Dursley's old housemates is a tooth healer and she wants to partner with a muggle dentistry practice to accommodate some of her muggle-born patients a bit better. And, quite frankly it would help us deal with children in your situation as well.

"Your father and I understand now, but we didn't when you were seven why braces just wouldn't work for you, but other things would work like, well, magic. If we can combine the two practices, discretely of course, it could be a blessing for a great number of patients."

Lost in thought, Hermione studied her mother as she idly toyed with her glass. Unconsciously, her hand reached out and found Harry's and took it.

"I'm not going touch the questionable logic behind this, so I think it might be best if I heard exactly how this all came about." Blushing, she looked down at her hand intertwined with Harry's and then looked up into his eyes.

"Please?"

"Friday at work, Flaubert showed up with a note from your mother asking to meet here at Maxine's for brunch on Saturday, she said she had a business proposition she'd like to discuss with me. She also said she'd like a chance for the two of us to hash out the basics before we subjected it to the 'Hermione Test', so she suggested that I 'forget' to mention exactly who I was meeting with." Smiling apologetically, Harry shrugged.

"You know me; I'm an easy mark for beautiful women that I care about."

"Harry, the fact that my mother has you wrapped around her little finger is one of the worst kept secrets in history. Honestly, you never noticed how annoyed Molly and Ginny would get when my mother could ask you to do anything, and you'd never dream of saying 'no'?" Laughing, Hermione rolled her eyes at the innocent face her mother was pulling.

Looking thoughtful for a second, Harry's eyes glittered with mischief as he shook his head.

"I suppose I never noticed that. Since they were always annoyed because you and I agreed so often, I imagine that I just chalked it up to a 'like mother, like daughter' thing."

Blushing, Hermione smiled as she made a 'get on with it' motion with her free hand.

"I'm still waiting to hear about yesterday."

Laughing, Harry squeezed her hand and shrugged.

"Let's see, it was yesterday just after twelve and I met your mother for lunch…"

_Twenty-four hours earlier_

"Harry, it was so good of you to come on such short notice." Smiling, Helen Granger walked over to a table at Maxine's beside her daughter's best friend.

"What did you think of that proposal for us expanding into Diagon Alley?"

Smiling in return, Harry seated Helen before taking his own seat. Nodding to the waitress, he looked down at the leather portfolio he had set on the table when he had arrived earlier.

"I must admit, it's very intriguing. I'm not an expert at dentistry, muggle or otherwise, since my aunt and uncle never bothered to send me to a dentist. Other than having a couple of teeth put back in at the local A&E after Dudley had knocked them out, I'm fairly ignorant of how these things work."

Seeing the look on her face, he smiled reassuringly.

"Helen, everything is fine. That portion of my life is over and done with. My aunt and cousin have started to come around, and we're attempting to establish some sort of relationship based upon the fact we're basically all the family each one has since Vernon is quickly disappearing from the picture." Smiling at the remarkably familiar scowl on her face, he laid a hand on top of hers to calm her as he had done for her daughter on innumerable occasions.

"I'm perfectly capable of defending myself these days, and if I wasn't, Hermione makes a very able protector."

Smiling, Helen stared at him for several seconds. Sensing he was a bit uncomfortable with her scrutiny, she looked over to see if their server was heading in the direction of their table.

"Harry, Hermione hasn't broken any of your confidences, but she feels horribly guilty about not realizing what was going on with your family. I know it's too late now, but if she had known, she would have come to us and we would have done something to correct your situation."

Smiling as the waitress arrived at their table; Helen greeted the young witch by name and ordered a salad and an iced pumpkin juice. Harry ordered his usual fish and chips with a butterbeer and looked over as their server left.

"Helen, I know she does. My childhood, the Ministry, the final battle, Malfoy Manor are all things that still haunt both of us. And I know that you and Alex would have done something if you would have known." Shaking his head, Harry sat back and sighed.

"I just wish that I could convince your daughter that there wasn't any way she could have known what was going on. I was too adept at hiding things, even as a child."

"Harry, Hermione's problem is that she's never learned to temper her protectiveness when it comes to you. I think that, from the moment you two met, she has had this connection to you and she's very protective of the things and people she loves."

"She's very protective of those she cares about, that's true." Looking at her warily, Harry shook his head slightly.

"Harry, have I ever thanked you for making arrangements for Alex and I to have an owl? Flaubert has been such a blessing to us, we're able to keep in contact with you and Hermione and the rest of the friends we've made in your world."

"It wasn't anything really. I just had to get someone at the Ministry to reach out to the British government conservancy group and get you added to the list of people who are authorized to maintain an owl.

"It works well all around since half of the eggs laid are returned to the wild to bolster the wild populations and the other half are kept in the magical family, so to speak. Since Flaubert is a smaller owl, like Pig, he's less conspicuous around your house as he's coming and going."

"He does seem to see a challenge with some of the packages he's delivered, but he's a precious dear." Smiling, she asked innocently, "Do you know why I named him Flaubert?"

"I know it's a literary reference. Hermione was explaining it to me, but I can't remember ever having read any of his works." Blushing a bit, Harry shrugged.

"Flaubert is a favorite of both mine and my daughter's because of his exacting use of language. He would spend days or weeks agonizing over a single sentence or paragraph, trying to find the exact word he wanted to use." Nodding as the server delivered their meals, Helen waited until they were alone before continuing.

"Which is why, when I said that my daughter is very protective of the people she loves, I meant exactly that." Smiling as Harry froze reaching for a chip, she nodded.

"I know my daughter and I know she loves you very much, as well as being very much in love with you. Probably just as much as you love her"

Shaking himself a bit, Harry looked around to see if anyone was paying attention to their conversation.

"Helen, Hermione and I are best mates, and we have been since first year. Your daughter cares very much for me, as I do for her."

Smiling to take the sting out of her words, Helen shook her head. "Harry, does the lying ever get old?" Seeing the hurt look on his face, she held up her hand.

"Every time someone asks you about her, and you give the tired old 'she's just my best mate' routine, it's a lie. Whenever she asks you what you're thinking and you tell her something safe rather than telling her that you were thinking she's the most beautiful woman you've ever seen, it's a lie."

Closing his eyes, he sat back in his chair. "If she was in love with me, she would have said something. I'm content just being with her and knowing she's safe and happy."

Helen sat back and watched Harry sit there. Watching him fidget, she smiled and sighed.

"Harry, I love my daughter and the only thing I'm trying to do is help the two of you past this. I was there at Ginny's birthday and I saw your face when you and Ginny came down from her room." She smiled at the blush on Harry's cheeks as he realized what she was referring to.

"I saw the look on your face the moment you saw Hermione when you came out into the yard. She wasn't looking your way when you came through the door, but the look on your face showed me everything a mother needed to know."

Smiling wryly, Harry ran his hand through his hair and released a long breath.

"It's really not fair, you know?"

Looking a bit taken aback, Helen tiled her head a bit. "What's not fair? The fact that you love my daughter? Because if you'd just admit it to her, I think you'll be happy with the response."

"It's completely unfair that the smartest witch of the age has a mother that's equally as brilliant." Smiling, Harry chuckled as Helen blushed at the compliment.

"Throw in the fact that her father was a Royal Marine, and it borders upon cruelty."

"Harry, can you tell me why you haven't told her you love her? Hermione has the excuse that she's severely in denial and is still lying to herself about her feelings." Helen took a sip of juice before continuing.

"You, on the other hand, have known for at least nine months how you feel. I'll grant you, it might have been awkward while she was still engaged to your other best mate, but think about just how awkward it would have been if they would have gone through with the wedding."

For a moment, Helen could see the small, frightened boy that her daughter had befriended all those years ago on the train to Hogwarts.

"The truth is, of all the things I've faced in my life, the one that scares me the most is the thought if waking up one morning and not having Hermione in my life. Right now, I'm mostly content and she seems happy, and it scares me beyond measuring to risk that." Shaking his head, he smiled.

"There are times when her simply being there takes my breath away."

"Harry, the two of you share a home. Not 'a house', but a home. You're making plans to take raising your godson to the next level and you're going to adopt the rascal. Neither of you can envision life without the other. Why is it so bloody difficult to confess what both of you so obviously feel?"

Coming out almost a whisper, Harry lowered his eyes and his voice.

"She deserves better than being with me. She deserves someone who's not an emotional wreck, who can tell her exactly how special and wonderful she really is."

Blinking back tears, Helen leaned forward to close the distance between the two of them.

"Harry, Hermione has chosen you time and time again, over the years. I'd wager that she knows everything there is to know about you by now." Seeing the haunted look in his eyes, she smiled reassuringly.

"When the nightmares came, she held you and helped you talk them out." Watching him nod slowly, she continued.

"She's shared all of her fears with you as you have with her. Can you honestly think of one thing in your life, other than the fact you're hopelessly in love with your best mate, which you haven't shared with her?"

Shaking his head, Harry refused to raise his eyes to meet hers.

"We both kept at it until we had gotten all of the fears and disappointments out of the other. Our childhoods, school, Hogwarts, the war, all of it." Smiling sadly, he finally looked up and shrugged.

"The only thing I ever skirted around was the depth of my fears about losing her."

"Harry, you know this can't continue. The two of you have got to come clean with each other." Seeing the look on his face, she smiled reassuringly.

"I know it scares you, but the two of you have to face how you feel about each other and decide exactly what you want. This half-life you've created is too comfortable for both of you."

Gripping his hand a bit tighter, she waited until he looked up before she continued.

'The two of you almost married other people, are you really going to wait until she's standing at the altar with another man before you finally break down and tell her?"

Shrugging, Harry looked up and tried to smile. "Actually, I decided that during the rehearsal dinner was the best time to break the news. That way if she doesn't feel the same way, I can always blame it on being delirious from food poisoning. Bad clams or something like that."

Trying not to laugh, Helen squeezed his hands affectionately. 'You do realize that if you were to wait until then, you'll never hear the end of it from her, don't you?"

"Probably right, but it's safer than showing up on her wedding day and telling her. Doing the whole '…forever hold your peace' thing during the ceremony is just so cliché."

Sitting back and nibbling on a chip, Harry looked at Helen with a bit of desperation in his eyes.

"This would be immensely easier if I could figure out how to get her to realize she's in love with me."

Smiling wickedly, Helen looked at Harry as if Christmas had just arrived. "Harry, my boy, I've been waiting for you to come to that conclusion. It just so happens that I have a bit of a plan that should solve all of your problems with that. You still need to tell her how you feel, but I think we can get my daughter to admit how she feels about you."

"This is part of your plan. Do you think Hermione will be as cooperative as I was?" Smiling wickedly in return, Harry started chuckling at the look on Helen's face.

"Harry, Hermione's going to be very easy, compared to you. You knew you were in love with her, so you were consciously prepared to deny it. Hermione's in denial and I know the one thing that will make it relatively simple to force her to see that." Shaking her head, Helen smiled coyly.

"And what would that be?" Looking mystified, Harry tilted his head and looked puzzled.

Laughing, Helen patted Harry's hand and leaned towards him. "I know exactly when she fell in love with you. Since I'm having lunch with her here tomorrow, here's what we're going to do…"

* * *

><p>Taking a sip from her wine glass, Harry smiled. "And that's how your mother and I came up with this little plan. "<p>

Sitting back, Hermione glared from her mother to Harry.

"You do realize that you didn't need to go through this charade, we could have reasonably discussed this and resolved everything like adults."

Trying not to laugh, Harry looked over at Helen, who was leaning back in her chair, giggling uncontrollably. Losing his control, Harry started laughing and squeezed Hermione's hand.

"Hermione, I love you more than I can say, but that has got to be the most ridiculous thing I've heard since Neville conjured up Snape wearing his grandmother's clothes back in our third year at Hogwarts. It took Ginny almost destroying the Burrow to get me to admit I loved you, and I still couldn't tell you to your face that night.

"Between the two of us, we've had hundreds of 'reasonable discussions' with people over the years about our feelings for each other." Nodding towards Helen, he smiled gratefully.

"Your mum was right, this called for some sort of action."

Blushing slightly, Hermione begrudgingly agreed. "Harry, you may be right. If you would have come out and told me how you felt, I honestly don't know what I would have done."

"Definitely a risky proposition. If you panicked and bolted, I'd have had a devil of a time finding you until you wanted to be found."

"Well, I definitely want to be found now. What do we do from here?" Smiling shyly, Hermione reached over and took Harry's hand.

Beaming, Helen stood up and walked around the table. Reaching out a hand to each of them, she drew them both up from their chairs.

"What you two do, is go home to that home of yours, allow Kreacher and Winky to take care of everything with Teddy and dinner tonight, and just relax and let the little details work themselves out.

"But your father and I will be expecting you two for dinner Wednesday night." Smiling at the looks on both their faces, she made a shooing motion with her hands.

"Go, I'll take care of everything here."

Breaking eye contact with Harry, Hermione blushed, and smiled.

"Mum, we really can't thank you enough. I think we'll take your advice and head back home. I'm not certain about Harry, but there are a couple of things I definitely want to discuss with him in a less public setting."

Wrapping his arm around her, Harry smiled. "Helen, we'll be at the house on Wednesday. Is there anything I can do to repay you?"

Shaking her head, Helen squeezed both their hands. "Harry, I think today would be an excellent day to stop calling me Helen. Unless I'm mistaken, and I tend to be very good at this sort of thing, you might as well start calling me 'Mum'. I know I can't take the place of your mother, but Alex and I couldn't be prouder of you and thankful for all you've done for us and for Hermione here. I'd be honored if you'd consider it."

Blinking back tears, Harry wrapped his arms around her. "Mum, I think I can manage that." Kissing her on the cheek, he stepped back and took Hermione's hand again.

"Since I know you two will be dying to compare notes, I'm certain you two will see each other before Wednesday."

Wrapping his arms around Hermione, Harry leaned down and kissed her gently. Hermione put her arms through his, slightly turned, and the pair of them disapparated with a faint 'pop'.

Smiling, Helen stared at the spot they vacated for a few seconds before resuming her seat. Picking up her wine glass, she sipped slowly, waiting. A couple of minutes later, a red-haired wizard in a garish dragonskin suit joined her at the table.

"I'd ask how you did this, but I'm afraid of the answer." George began to laugh at the 'who me' look on Helen's face.

"I'm certain I have no idea what you're referring to, George. All I did was exercise my prerogative as a mother to look out for her children." Smiling mysteriously, Helen lifted her glass in a mock salute.

Seeing the look on his face she shrugged. "I've become very fond of that green-eyed rascal over the past four years, and I always knew that Hermione cared more for him than she would admit. Honestly, aren't you a bit relieved that this is finally over?"

George began picking at the remains of Hermione's lunch as he chuckled evilly.

"Oy, you're right on that account. What I'm talking about is how you got everything to come together today?" Reaching into his jacket, he withdrew a battered leather-bound journal.

"I really didn't think anything about it when you sent me that owl Friday night, but this morning, something made me check my book here to see who, if anyone, was holding the ticket for 12 May, 2002." Grinning, George nodded his head towards her.

"That wager was made over a year and a half ago, how did you know?"

"When you and Angelina first told Alex and me about this pool on the kids, I thought about it and decided that I'd give them enough time to work this out for themselves. Then I picked a date and told him that if they hadn't gotten themselves squared away, one way or the other, I'd step in and meddle, just a little." Ignoring the snort of disbelief from George, she continued.

"I only meddled a bit, just enough to take away their excuses. And today was the perfect day for it, even if Hermione took it badly she'd forgive me once she realized."

Looking a bit confused, George scratched the hole from his missing ear for a second.

"It's a nice day, but how did you know today would be the day?"

Smiling, Helen reached over and patted George's hand. "I don't suppose Hermione ever talked about her grandmother, my mother, much, did she?"

Shaking his head, George frowned in concentration.

"I can't remember her ever mentioning any grandparents, other than Alex's father Martin. Why?"

"My mother died when Hermione was young. She met my father during the war. It was very romantic, she was an American nurse and he was an RAF pilot. They stayed here in Britain, and I grew up knowing as many American customs as I did British.

"My mother and I always went out to brunch on the second Sunday in May and I've tried to do the same thing with Hermione, though I suspect she forgets why some years."

Still looking perplexed, George chewed thoughtfully for a second.

"I'm still not certain what your mum being an American has to do with it."

Smiling, Helen picked up her glass and took a sip.

"Here in Britain, Mothering Sunday was back in March. But in America, today is Mother's Day. And I thought having those two sort themselves out would be just about the nicest Mother's Day present I could get, even if I had to get it for myself."

Shaking his head in disbelief, George looked down in his book and sighed.

"Twelve thousand, four hundred and twenty eight galleons aren't too shabby a Mother's Day present, either."

"There is that. But I think that you'll find that half of that is going to be the start-up capital for the new tooth healer / dentistry clinic Healer Greengrass and I will be starting."

"And the other half?"

Grinning shamelessly, Helen smirked.

"Well, my darling husband has been thinking about getting out of dentistry for some time, and since he has a birthday next week, I was wondering if I could use the rest of the money to buy him a stake in your business. He seems to be a natural at it, and I think the two of you would be smashing as partners."

Laughing, George stuck out his hand. "Helen, I think I've got myself a partner. Happy Mother's Day!"

Taking his hand, Helen shook it warmly. "Thank you George. Why don't you stop by the Burrow and wish Molly a Happy Mother's Day." Seeing the puzzled look on his face, she smiled.

"Bring her some flowers, be nice to her. It'll help make her feel a bit better before she hears the news about Harry and Hermione."

Eyes widening in terror, George shuddered. "You're right, might as well get in her good books today, once she hears the news there will be no living with her for at least a month."

"Ever the optimist, George. If you're starting up a pool on when she's going to get over this, put me down for 5 November."

Rolling his eyes, George pantomimed taking out a quill.

"Guy Fawkes Night, eh? Aren't you just the cheerful one? Hip Hip Hooray, indeed."

"What? Bonfire Night isn't a good time to celebrate with some of your fireworks?"

"Better than Bastille Day, I suppose."

"Don't go losing your head, George. Everything will be fine."

Laughing, the two of them waved the waitress over for more wine as they spent the afternoon making plans for two businesses and a wedding.


	4. Intervention with a Side Order of Surpri

Chapter Four – Intervention with a Side Order of Surprise

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><p><em><strong>AN and Disclaimer**__ – This is a work of fiction, specifically fanfiction. Any characters, locations, or concepts that you recognize from the Harry Potter universe are the property of JK Rowling and various corporate interests and no copyright infringement is intended. Original characters in this work are probably mine. One or two might have shown up on their own accord, and I'll take responsibility for them just to be polite. No servers were injured in the writing of this fanfiction, and all of the characters left an appropriate gratuity._

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><p><em>26 May 2002 - two weeks later<em>

The late spring sunshine made for an inviting scene as Helen approached the table where Molly Weasley was sitting. Smiling at the other woman, Helen paused to greet the young witch who was taking Molly's order as she approached.

"Marci, it's good to see you again. Might I trouble you for one of Max's excellent sweetened teas to start?"

Nodding to Molly, Helen seated herself across from the other woman, noticing the slight frown on her face.

"Molly, it's good to see you again." Smiling, Helen watched the other woman, trying to gauge her mood and see what, if anything, she had heard regarding the new status quo regarding Harry and Hermione.

While most, if not all, of her children had learned of the changes occurring at Grimmauld Place, Helen had garnered the impression over the past four years that the Weasley children weren't overly keen on sharing anything with their mother that might upset her.

"Helen, I've been meaning to talk to you, but it's a bit difficult to contact you without a floo and all. I was pleasantly surprised to receive your owlpost on Friday."

Looking a bit more relaxed, Molly took a sip from a water goblet before continuing.

"That didn't look like Hermione's owl, though it has been a while since I've received a letter from her."

Smiling, Helen graciously nodded to the server as her tea appeared.

"Flaubert? No, he stays with Alex and me. Harry was such a dear arranging for us to get permission to keep him." Smiling a bit at the brief flicker of annoyance on Molly's face when she mentioned Harry's name, Helen continued.

"Indeed, it's been since Christmas that I've had a chance to speak to you, and I thought that we could talk about the children."

"I'm glad you're of the same mind as I am on this. I think if we work together we can get things back on track with Ron and Hermione fairly quickly."

Blinking a bit in surprise, Helen bit her lower lip to keep from smiling.

"Molly, I think we're talking about different things here. I thought Ron was fairly definite in his feelings at Christmas and Hermione has accepted that they seem to be much better suited to being friends rather than anything closer."

Rolling her eyes, Molly scowled. "That boy doesn't know what he wants in life. Fortunately the two of them have mothers who will look out for their best interests, regardless of what ridiculous notions they seem to have."

Pausing, Helen smiled to their waitress as she had returned to their table. "Marci, if you don't mind, I'll just take the salad and a soup today." Smiling as the young witch took down her order, she nodded. "How is your cousin doing with her auror training?"

Marci grinned at Helen. "She says she's doing dreadful. If I listened to her, you'd think she was in danger of being dropped from the program. If you ask me, it's just the Ravenclaw in her coming out.

"Hermione and Luna were in the other day, and while Hermione couldn't tell me anything definite, I got the impression that there were no complaints about her performance in either the classroom or with the practicals."

"Listen to Hermione, she'll tell you anything she can. Harry hates to see anyone fail needlessly, so if one of the new trainees isn't up to snuff, he'll have mentioned it to her to see if she could shed some light on getting them back in form."

Smiling gratefully at her, Marci tapped her quill on the pad. "I'll get these orders in for you two and I'll check back with you in a tic."

Shaking her head, Molly watched the younger witch depart with a curious expression on her face.

"For the life of me, I can't imagine what Luna and Hermione would be talking about these days."

"Molly, Hermione and Luna are fairly close; they have been for a while. I think they try to get together whenever Luna's in London. I know she's stayed at the house several times since the New Year."

"Really, I'd have thought the situation with Ron would make for a bit of tension between the two. I'm glad Hermione isn't taking this Luna nonsense on Ron's part seriously."

Taking a generous sip of her drink, Molly smiled a bit.

"Honestly Molly, Hermione is delighted that Ron and Luna seem to be hitting it off so well. While I doubt she'd ever stoop to active matchmaking, I imagine she has been willing to share some of her insights regarding Ron with Luna." Smiling at the shocked look on Molly's face, Helen just shrugged.

"Helen, I can't believe you're taking this so calmly. How are we ever going to get those two back together if she's actively encouraging this infatuation on Ron's part?" Looking disturbed, Molly began to worry the edge of the napkin as she stared at Helen.

Sitting back, Helen took a second to think before responding.

"Molly, the only thing I have to say is 'Thank Heaven' that your son Ron and my daughter have finally come to their collective senses regarding their relationship. I think the world of Ron, but when he and Hermione were seeing each other, it was always a very chancy thing. Their friendship will long outlast any doomed romantic relationship between the two of them."

Sputtering in disbelief, Molly closed her eyes. "Don't be absurd. Of course they're suited for each other. The quarreling between them is simply a matter of the tensions from their relationship coming to the fore. Once they're married and settled down, everything will be fine."

Before Helen could respond, a peculiar chirping sound started coming from her handbag that was resting on the table.

"Molly, if you wouldn't mind, I need to see who is calling." Taking what appeared to be a large compact from her purse; Helen flipped it open and glanced down at the mirror. Looking up, she smiled.

"Pardon me for a second, but I need to speak to someone for just a moment."

Briefly touching her earring, Helen smiled and spoke softly.

"Hello dear."

Molly could barely hear a faint buzzing sound for a couple of seconds before Helen continued.

"It's just about as you suspected, I think we'll need to go with 'Eben-Emael'." Smiling as the buzzing continued, Helen chuckled.

"Tell that slug-a-bed daughter of mine that she needs to get ready." A loud pop of buzzing followed. Laughing, Helen pulled a contrite face. "I'm sorry; I didn't see you standing there Poppet. Love you too."

Closing the compact, Helen laid it on the table and smiled apologetically at Molly.

"I'm sorry, Harry needed to ask me a question and since I've been testing this new contraption for George and my husband, it's a bit less conspicuous than sending a patronus, especially since with this I can answer back.'

Looking a bit puzzled, Molly glanced at the object Helen had placed on the table.

"George and your husband?"

"Alex has been working with George over the past year or so on adapting muggle concepts and devices to magical uses, and they've recently decided to formalize their partnership. George is infatuated with cell phones, but every time he casts a spell and forgets to shut the phone down beforehand, it shorts out the phone and makes it useless." Nodding at the compact on the table, Helen smiled.

"Actually, Hermione came up with the concept. She based it upon a set of mirrors that Sirius Black and James Potter had when they were in school, and she crossed it with the enchanted galleons they used to communicate when that dreadful woman was at Hogwarts. They function like cellphones, yet they have a visual component to them."

"I can't begin to count the number of those cellophone toys Arthur has brought home. Highly unreliable if you ask me." Dismissing the compact with a wave of her hand, Molly glared at the compact as if it were some dangerous beast.

"In a magic rich environment, you're only too right. I forgot and turned mine on at dinner last Sunday to check to see if a patient had left any messages and the poor thing sparked and shot a puff of smoke as it gave up the ghost. Neville said that it looked like the aftermath of one of his Potions disasters from school."

Looking at Helen with narrowed eyes, Molly thought for a moment as the waitress brought their orders. Helen's soup and salad was contrasted by Molly's order of chicken with rice and assorted sides. Watching Helen out of the corner of her eye, Molly began to pick at her food as she talked.

"You said Neville was at your house for dinner last Sunday?"

Smiling, Helen shook her head a bit as she sampled the soup.

"I'm sorry, but Alex and I joined the children at Grimmauld Place for dinner last Sunday. Neville was there, along with that adorable bride of his, Hannah." Smiling at the thought, Helen laughed as she remembered how Neville and Hannah had been together that night.

"Those two have been married for over a year, but they still act like newlyweds. She's such a charming young woman, don't you think?"

"I suppose so, though I told Augusta that I thought Neville could have made a better match if she would have been a bit more insistent on him going into something a bit more prestigious." Waving her hand dismissively, Molly turned her attention to her herring and pumpernickel side dish.

"Molly, those two are very obviously in love with each other. And Neville seems very happy with the research he's doing with Herbology for that institute down in Somerset. Personally, I find it very heartwarming the number of the young people who seem to have found love and happiness after all of the turmoil and danger they've been through."

Molly scowled at the thought. "Running off at the drop of a hat. Gallivanting around the countryside doing Merlin knows what. And once things are back to normal, none of them are the least bit willing to be sensible. I'd had such high hopes for Ron and Hermione. And Ginny and Harry were such a wonderful couple."

Smiling as a brief flare of light surged from her compact on the table, Helen quirked an eyebrow at the other woman.

"All four of them are in careers they like, they're all happy and their personal lives seem to be finally sorting themselves out. I'd think that they'd lived up to any hopes I would have for children at this stage in their lives." Looking over Molly's shoulder and smiling, Helen continued.

"Ginny, for instance. I don't understand all the particulars of the sport, but from what Alex and George tell me, she's a lock for England's World Cup team and her team is in contention for the league championship."

Still scowling, Molly attacked her lunch as if the poor departed bird was personally responsible for some grievous fault in her existence.

"Yes, of course, her quidditch career is going along fabulously, but she allowed some foolish notion to convince her to break her engagement to Harry last summer, and the boy simply went along with it."

Smiling, Helen thought for a second before answering.

"They're both very happy with their new arrangement. And Ginny seems to have acquired a very personal photographer out of the deal, who seems to be very intent on making her very happy."

Placing her fork back down on the table, Molly set back in her chair and stared at Helen in disbelief.

"She shouldn't be spending time with young Dennis; she should be working on getting back together with Harry."

Suddenly, a cheerful voice, with an edge of steel underneath it, broke into the conversation.

"Mum, we've been over this time and time again. Harry and I are as 'together' as we're ever going to be. I'll always care for him, and there's not much I wouldn't do for him, but that's the extent of it. Dennis and I are very happy right now. I told you that last month."

Turning around, Molly glared as Ginny and Dennis Creevey were standing behind her. Holding Ginny's hand, Dennis was watching Molly with a wary look. Ginny's eyes were flashing and while she looked amused, there was a sense of determination about her.

"Ginevra, whatever are you doing in London? Shouldn't you be in Holyhead or somewhere with your team today?"

Rolling her eyes, Ginny smiled at her mother's predictability. "Good day to you too Mum. Thanks for asking; Dennis and I are just fine. How are you?"

Glaring at her daughter, Molly sighed. "I was enjoying a lunch with Helen until a couple of moments ago. I thought you were tied up with team business today."

Ignoring her mother for a second, Ginny and Dennis moved over to the table where Ginny leaned over and hugged Helen.

"It's good to see you again. Is Alex surviving working with George?"

"It's good to see you too, dear. I think you left a book at the house last time. I was going to bring it with me tonight to dinner."

"That was Dennis'." Turning to her companion, she elbowed him. "I told you I didn't leave your bloody book in Ireland." Turning back to her mother, Ginny shrugged.

"Mum, I said that Dennis and I had plans tonight, though since you didn't see fit to invite him specifically, that should have clued you in on what my answer would have been regardless."

Looking less than happy, Molly glared at her daughter. "You haven't been to Sunday dinner at the Burrow in over a month.

Matching her glare for glare, Ginny tightened her grip on Dennis' hand.

"And I told you why. If Dennis isn't welcome, then neither am I. Daddy's not happy, but he understands, at least."

Smiling thinly, Molly acknowledged Dennis with a nod before turning her attention back to her daughter.

"I'm certain he's a very nice young wizard, and your friends are always welcome at the house. I just don't want you to lead the poor boy on."

Laughing, Dennis put a hand on Ginny's arm to keep her from saying whatever retort she was preparing.

"Mrs. Weasley, with all due respect, your daughter isn't leading me anywhere except maybe to the happiest I've ever been." Smiling at Ginny, he winked at her before continuing.

"I can understand that you're not too chuffed that we're seeing each other, since we work together and all. We understand about work and personal lives and we're taking things slow."

Ignoring the indelicate snort from Ginny, he just smiled and continued.

"My mum wasn't too thrilled at first, seeing how Gin's an older witch and all, but once she sat down and talked to her for a bit, she's become very fond of Gin and my dad thinks she's just about perfect."

Sputtering in disbelief, Molly shook her head. "But Harry..." Interrupting, Dennis smiled.

"Harry and I have an understanding. If I hurt Gin, other than normal relationship ups and downs, he'll do his auror thing and find me and then tell her brothers where I'm hiding. Since I've no intention of hurting your daughter, Harry and I are good friends. Not as good as Colin and him, but we're working on it."

Smiling at the gobsmacked look on Molly's face, Helen nodded just slightly over Molly's shoulder as Ginny giggled.

"Molly, I think what these two are trying to tell you is that if you're not going to accept Ginny's choices in how she's living her life, then they won't burden you with their presence since it'll just upset you." Taking a tip of her tea, Helen smiled, "Pretty much the same as Ron and Luna, I'd imagine."

Glaring from Helen to Ginny, Molly's scowl deepened. "There's another one. I haven't seen more than a glimpse of Ronald in almost two months. It's almost as if they boy has been avoiding me."

"That's because we have, Mum." Ron's voice cut in. "I finally got tired of you sitting there and ignoring Luna, talking around her at dinner and all. I'm not certain why you're surprised since the last thing I told you was that when you were ready to wake up and smell the wolfsbane, we'd be back to the house."

Turning around again, Molly was shocked to see Ron and Luna standing where Ginny and Dennis had been standing, earlier. Luna smiled brightly at her and turned to Ron.

"Ronald, you do realize that some people are put off by the smell of wolfsbane, don't you?" Turning to Molly, she smiled apologetically.

"If you'd prefer, foxglove is much easier on the senses early in the morning, and it helps to ward off Scandinavian Wand-borers."

Shaking his head a bit, Ron wrapped his arm around Luna's waist and smiled.

"If that'll help you get over this, Mum, foxglove will do. But we're serious about you needing to let go of the past. I think I've grown up over the past four years.

"Hermione's one of my best friends, and we've finally gotten past the time we spent trying to be something we weren't. Luna's too nice a person to complain, but I'm certainly not going to sit by and let anyone treat her like that."

Looking pointedly first at Luna and then his mother, Ron held his mother's gaze for several seconds.

"Anyone."

Looking a bit abashed, Molly turned back to Helen. Standing over Helen's shoulder, the smirk on Ginny's face quickly disappeared as Molly frowned.

"Helen, don't you have anything to say to Ron?" Helen could see that Molly was visibly trying to come to terms with the afternoon's events and not having much success.

"Of course." Looking past Molly to where Ron and Luna were standing, Helen looked at the two for a second.

"Ron?"

"Yes, Helen?"

"Since Kreacher doesn't seem to mind, I'm going to bring gooseberry pie tonight. What do you two think?"

Luna's eyes lost focus for a second, and then she slowly nodded. "That might be a good choice. The Etruscans used to use gooseberries to ward off wrackspurts. That might be helpful after this afternoon."

Smiling, Ron rolled his eyes a bit, and winked. "Lily's recipe?"

"Of course. Since Phineas was kind enough to go to the trouble of passing it along, it would be a shame not to use it. I never would have thought to use a meringue topping, but it certainly works well."

Slapping her hand on the table, Molly stared at Helen in disbelief.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. What would your daughter think of all this?"

Hermione dryly interrupted. "Normally I'd agree with my mum. I'm a bit of a traditionalist and I normally like it with a 'dutch apple crust', but Lily's is very good, and since she's Harry's mum…"

Trailing off, Hermione's eyes were twinkling with suppressed mischief. Looking over her shoulder to Harry, who was standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her, she smiled.

"What do you think, dear?"

Grinning, Harry shrugged. "What do I know? Both pies are excellent, but Hermione's recipe has a trace of vanilla in it."

"An excellent answer, Harry." Smiling slyly, Helen weighed Harry's answer carefully.

"I doubt anyone will find you to be the weakest link today." Looking over at Molly, Helen shrugged.

"I suppose that answers what Hermione thinks of the matter."

Getting close to exploding, Molly looked around the group that was gathered around the table.

"Will someone please explain what is going on? I refuse to believe that all of you just happened by while Helen and I were having lunch."

"Well, since you've refused to believe everything else, not believing this would be in character, Mum. However, you're right in that we're here for a reason." George smiled and scratched his missing ear. "Helen, what was it you called this?"

"An intervention, George. Good to see you and Angelina." Helen nodded to the latest couple to join the group.

"Right you are, an intervention." Looking back to his mother, George was uncharacteristically serious.

"Mum, the problem is that while all of us love you very much, we've all come to the conclusion that you can't go on ignoring the realities of life."

Angelina placed her hand in George's. "Molly, you need to understand one thing. Ginny, Ron, Harry and Hermione have all made choices in their lives that the rest of us find not only acceptable, but seem to be smashing. The problem is that these decisions fly in the face of things you decided years ago for them.

"Quite honestly, I'm not certain how anyone could have decided that long ago who would be with whom." Grinning slyly, she tilted her head toward Harry and Hermione.

"Except for those two, of course. They were so obvious right from the start."

"Harry? Hermione?" Shocked, Molly looked from Angelina to the pair in question.

Nodding slowly, Hermione placed her hands over Harry's and leaned back into him.

"Molly, I've loved him since I was eleven, and he's loved me about as long. We both were in denial about it for a very long time. But thanks to a bit of judicious prompting on the part of people who love us, we finally stopped hiding from each other and have accepted the fact that we're in love." Seeing the look on Molly's face, Hermione smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry if that displeases you, but we've wasted too much time as it is and we're not going to waste any more of the time we've been given waiting for you to accept us as we are."

Percy's voice joined the chorus. "Mother, I learned two things the hard way, the importance of family and the pain of being in a relationship with the wrong person." After smiling at Audrey, Percy looked to his mother.

"Penelope and I almost killed each other before she came to the realization that we just weren't meant to be. Ron and Hermione weren't quite that bad, but their rows are the stuff of Gryffindor legends.

"Harry and Hermione are family, just as much as anyone else standing here. Don't turn your back on them, on family. I've made that mistake and it never ends well."

"Percy, what are you trying to say?"

"Molly, what all of our children are trying to say is that if you turn your back on part of them, they won't side with you." Arthur, looking very tired and older than his years, nodded as he pulled a chair up beside his wife's and took her hand gently between his.

"I'll be with you, because I love you and I chose to make my life beside you years ago. But our children have decided that they're an all or nothing deal. If you can't accept whom the four of them have chosen, then the rest will try to make up for that.

"The entire family has been gradually pulling away from gathering at the Burrow because they've all seen that you're not going to relent, not going to accept how things are. We took Harry and Hermione into our hearts and our home years ago, and it wasn't on the condition that they do things the way we saw fit."

Nodding towards Ginny and Ron in turn, Arthur continued. "And it looks as if Luna and Dennis are rapidly becoming part of the family, also. Personally, I'm proud of them all and I'm thankful that our children seem to have found happiness.

"Molly, you need to just be happy for them. I seem to remember your mother wasn't overly impressed when you married me, but she eventually came around, I think."

Smiling sadly, Arthur took her hand and brought it up to his lips.

"Before it's too late, before we create rifts we can't overcome, let's just be happy for them."

Looking around, Molly gazed at each of her children for a few moments. Fixing her gaze finally on Harry and Hermione, she swallowed.

"Since you were eleven?"

Hermione smiled and blushed. "That day on the train. My life changed forever in the blink of an eye. Molly, we all love you, and this isn't easy for any of us. This isn't just about Harry and me, Ginny's as happy as I've ever seen her, and I think that goofy grin on Dennis' face speaks for itself." Everyone laughed as Dennis did a credible imitation of the Weasley blush.

"And if you don't think Luna's here to stay, she's actually managed to impart something resembling table manners to Ron. I'm not certain how, but it's nothing short of miraculous."

"Always the tone of surprise Hermione. I can change you know." Ron piped up, looking a bit put upon.

"Of course you can, Ronald," said Luna supportively. "Especially when I remind you of what we won't be doing if you forget."

Laughing, everyone tried to look anywhere but at Ron who was staring open mouthed at Luna, vainly trying to say something, anything. Shaking her head, Molly looked around her as the majority of her family was standing there, laughing, but waiting for her to make a decision.

Looking over at Arthur, she sighed in resignation. "Bill and Fleur?"

Nodding his head, Arthur smiled. "Little Victoire has a touch of elven croup. But Fleur assures me she'll be spending Christmas wherever Hermione and Luna are, so you can take that for what it's worth." Seeing she was going to speak again, he nodded.

"And Charlie is planning on spending his time in London when he comes home later in the summer if things aren't resolved."

Shaking her head, Molly closed her eyes for a second. Releasing a deep sigh, she opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on Luna.

"Luna?"

Gazing back impassively, Luna's silver eyes glinted in the sunlight.

"Yes ma'am?"

"You've actually got him behaving like a civilized wizard?"

Luna smiled impishly. "Most of the time. He forgets occasionally, and we've decided that during quidditch and football matches don't count, but for the most part Ronald's very proper."

Shaking her head in amazement, Molly sighed.

"I'm certain I don't want to know what you've done with him, but Merlin bless you and keep it up."

While the rest of them were laughing, Molly stood up and walked over to where Luna was standing. Looking at the younger witch for a second, she smiled.

"Can you forgive a foolish old woman who treated you very shabbily?"

"Molly, you were just being protective of your son and trying to do what you thought was best for Ronald." Luna hugged the older witch and smiled.

"I'm certain Ronald and I will be just as protective of our first three children. Hopefully by the time little Cassandra is born, we'll have relaxed a bit."

Molly turned to Ginny and Dennis.

"Young man, you've been watching out after her while she gallivants around playing quidditch?"

Swallowing, Dennis glanced briefly at Ginny before answering. "The best I can, she's very touchy about people trying to protect her too much."

"Dennis, you must be a Gryffindor if you're willing to brave her temper. Her father and I don't make it to too many of her matches, so I'm holding you responsible for seeing that she's taken care of. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Mum, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Glaring at her mother, Ginny shook her head in frustration.

Matching her glare for glare, Molly stared at her daughter for several seconds.

"Ginevra, I can see that I failed to teach you a few things about life. If you get a handsome young wizard who's willing to put up with your temper and care about you, you shouldn't argue with it. Men like your father and young Dennis here don't grow on trees. If you bollix this up, I'm certain there are quite a number of witches, including most of your teammates, out there who will snap him up without a second thought."

Smiling at the shocked look on her daughter's face, Molly turned back to Dennis.

"Do try to make allowances, her father and I spoiled her."

Taking Ginny's hand with his, Dennis smiled softly. "With all due respect, Mrs. Weasley, I think the two of you did a smashing job with Gin."

Shaking her head, she sighed and turned back to Ginny. "And see if you can do something about that 'Mrs. Weasley' nonsense before you bring him by the house again. If he can't remember my name is Molly, he might not be as worth keeping as I first thought."

Laughing, the group watched expectantly as Molly turned and walked over to Harry and Hermione.

"The day you met?"

"On the train during our first trip to Hogwarts. It took me long enough to figure it out, but there really hasn't been anyone else since that day."

Smiling, Harry kissed Hermione gently on the top of her head before looking up at Molly.

"We both care very deeply for Ron and Ginny, and it was never our intent to hurt anyone. The ironic thing is that virtually everyone had to notice that we were in love with each other before we could see it."

Blushing, Molly rolled her eyes. "Everyone except me, it seems. How can we put this right?"

Smiling, Hermione stepped forward, put her arms around the older witch and kissed her softly on the cheek.

"There's nothing to 'put right', Molly. No one here thinks you acted out of malice or ill will towards any of us. On the contrary, you tried to do what you thought best for us.

"As long as you're willing to entertain the possibility that the four of us are old enough to make decisions for ourselves, we'll remember that you do love all of us."

Her eyes bright with tears, Molly looked at all four of them.

"Please, all I ask is that you see if you can find your ways back to the Burrow from time to time. The house is very empty without children."

Hermione smiled warmly in response. "Molly, since there seems to be two empty chairs around the table at Grimmauld Place, Harry and I were hoping you and Arthur would see fit to join all of us for dinner tonight.

"I know it's not your cooking, but Kreacher is quite an accomplished cook and everyone seems to bring something that adds to the festivities."

Looking over at Harry, Molly smiled. "I know it's not your mum's pie, but I think I can manage to bring a treacle tart tonight, if that would be all right?"

"I think that would be brilliant. It's the oddest thing about Grimmauld Place, no matter how many desserts show up, there never seems to be any left by the end of the night." Looking over at Ron, Harry grinned.

Following Harry's gaze, Molly smiled. "I think I can see that." Looking over at Arthur, Molly smiled gratefully.

"We'll talk when I get back to the Burrow?"

"I think that will be fine. Why don't the children and I leave you to finish your lunch with Helen in peace?" Looking over at Hermione, Arthur smiled. "Dinner's at six?"

Smiling, Hermione linked her arm through Arthur's and nodded. "Everyone usually starts showing up around half four, but we finally get everyone set down by six."

Farewells said, the young couples drifted off promising to see each other in a few hours at Grimmauld Place. Finally Molly and Helen were left alone looking at each other across the table.

Shaking her head, Molly looked at Helen for a few seconds.

"Why?"

Picking up her goblet of tea, Helen took a sip before answering.

"It needed to be done."

"You could have very easily let me wreck my relationship with my children out of my stubbornness and pride without going to all of this trouble."

Smiling, Helen placed the goblet on the table and steepled her fingers underneath her chin.

"Molly, I couldn't do that. Your family was all the family Harry had, once he went to school. I never really got to know him while they were in school, but I grew very fond of Harry from my daughter's letters as I realized that she cared deeply for him.

"For the past four years, I've come to love him for his own sake, and not just because Hermione cares so deeply for him. It hurt him deeply to think that he might lose your friendship and love. This was little enough to do to give him back the witch who cared enough to take him into her home as one of her own."

Tears glistening in her eyes, Molly smiled sadly. "I suppose one gets used to trying to do the best for their children and its difficult lesson to learn when to leave off and let them live their lives."

Laughing, Helen shook her head. "Heavens no. That's one lesson I've not learned completely. This whole thing started with me shamelessly meddling in the children's lives."

Looking around, Helen motioned for Marci to come over to the table. When the young witch arrived, Helen smiled apologetically.

"Marci, the food was excellent as always, but Molly and I got caught up in everything and I think we'll just skip straight to dessert." Looking over at Molly, who rolled her eyes and nodded, Helen smiled.

"If you'll bring us some coffee and two slices of that excellent chocolat gateau I spied on the way in, we'll be very happy."

"You were saying?" Eyes twinkling, Molly chuckled at the look on Helen's face.

"Strangely enough, it all started with a conversation with your son George, during dinner one night…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN –** The author would like to make it clear that this chapter is not an endorsement of the use of either wolfsbane or foxglove without properly consulting a licensed physician, healer, or certified potions mistress beforehand. While there is no clinical evidence that gooseberry pie can ward off wrackspurts, I'm certainly not going to argue with Luna about it. The last time I did that, I had Heliotropes in the hedges for a fortnight.


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